eockwbll clough



(Model.)

' W. R. GLOUGH.

BILL PIV-LE.

Patented July 4,1882.

NA mins. Phollmwgnpmr. wamington. D4:A

UNITEDI STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-W. ROCKWELLICLOUGH, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

BILL-FILE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,537, dated July 4, 1882.

Application filed March 1,1882. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, W. RocKwELL CLOUGH, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefnl Improvement in Binders and Holding Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference bein g had to the accompanying drawlngs.

The invention. relates to an improvementin bill-tiles belonging to that class used for filing folded papers or those of narrow width, and where a base is connected with the top part or clamp by radial side arms.

My improvement consistsin the use ofthese radial arms on one side only of the clamp, and in such a manner, hereinafter described, as to leave the opposite side open and free for the reception of the matter to be held without sacritlcing any of the desirable features peculiar to this class of bill-iiles. This I effect in a very simple, inexpensive, and practical manner, as will be more fully understood by'reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side and edge view of the device, and Fig. 2 is a view of a modifiedform of the clamp without a base.

I prefer to construct the clamp from a single piece of wire, but do not limit myself to the use of a single piece of wire, since it is possible to produce the device by constructing the members in separate parts and afterward l uniting them to form the described clamp.

Thedrawin gs represent a clamp as made from a single piece of wire, which is bent to form the at frame b b, open at one side, and the arms a a connected with the fla-t frame b b vby the radial arms d d, which, when in a state of rest, lie in about the same plane with the flat frame b b. The arms a a are illustrated in Fig. l as being inserted in apertures at one side of the base w; but they may be secured theretoin anyother convenientway. Theframe b b rests ilat upon the base a, and is held in that position at one side only, as shown, the radial arms d d being the connection between the frame b b and base.

The material to be held may be inserted beneath the frame b b at either of its free sides, and the capacity of the file will be governed by the length of the arms d cl. The clamping parts are adapted to maintain their parallelism with and lie flat upon the surface of the matter held. The frame b bhasatension downward on the matter held by reason of the flexif bility of the radial armsd d and the torsion or twist in its (the frames) sides produced by Ythe radial movement of the arms d d; and vwhen attached to a base the clamping power is increased by the bow tension of the frame b b springing outward at its open side. When the frame b bis elevated to permit the insertion of the matter to be held the arms d d move radially from a horizontal toward a vertical position, and the open side of the at lframe b b is thus caused to contract. The section t of the frame b b, Fig. 1, will have a tendency, or may be purposely bent, to bow downward, and Yin this condition, if arranged to overhang the edge, will serve as a guard for the package or article held.

It will be 4observed that the clamping-frame b bis secured at one side only to the base, and that the radial arms d d are permitted to have and facilitated in their movement by the contraction and expansion of the open side of the frame.

The device shown in Fig. 2 may be used without the base, and ywhen thus employed the matter to be held' will be inserted between the arms a a and the flat frame b b, in which condition it will be held by the torsion in the sides of the frame b bin a similar manl ner as in the device shown in Fig. l. In said device shown in Fig. l the base .r occupies the place ofthe parts a a of the file shown in Fig. 2. The irregular outline of the frame b b in Fig. 2 increases the bearing-surface of the file, and is advantageous in that respect.

In the le shown in Fig. l the torsion springs mostly from thetwo opposite sides of the frame, butto a greater or less degree extends throughout the entire frame; but whatever may be the contour ofthe frame,the expansion of its open side exerts a force outward against the radial arms d d and acts to clasp the parts against the matter to be held. It is true, also, that when the side of the lat frame b b opposite to its open'side is elevated for the introduction of papers for filing a torsional strain will be created in the arms d d.

Having thus described my invention, what 1. The file or binder herein described, consisting of the parts a. a, the radial arms d d,

and the frame composed of the parts 11 b and In testimony that I claim the foregoing init, substantially as specified. lprovement in binders or holding devices, as 1o 2. A iile or binder consisting of :L lntfranie above described, I have hereunto set my hand composed of the parts b b and t, with :L cont-his 27th day of February, 1882.

5 tracting and expanding open side opposite to WV. ROGKWELL GLOUGII.

the section t, and connected at the open side Witnesses: with the base by the radial arms (l d and CHAS. C. GILL,

parts a a, substantially as set forth. HERMAN GUsTOW. 

